Headlight



Dec. 27,1932. w. E. CUMMINS HEADLIGHT Filed Aug. 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

O ATTO NEY.

Dec. 27, 1932. w. acummms HEADLIGHT Filed Aug. 5. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 WA LTER E. CUMMINS, OF SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA HEADLIGHT Application filed August 3, 1931.

1 This invention relates to headlights. V The general object of the invention is to .provide an improved automobile headlight of the non-glare type.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a headlight including a source of light, a reflector, an annular lens and a focusing lens all arranged to prevent glare.

A further object of the invention is to provide a headlight wherein a. converging passage is provided and'which is defined byan inner non-reflecting surface and wherein an annular lens member is arranged at one end of this passage with a focusing lens at the other end andwherein means is provided for directing light rays through the annular lens.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings,'wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view through a headlight embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the headlight;

-' Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing the securing means.

Fig.6 is a central sectional View showing a modification, and

Fig.6 isa'similar view of the device shown in Fig. 5 with inner shield omitted. Although in the accompanying drawings I I. {35 refer to my device as a headlight, it will be understood that it may be used for other purposes without departing from my invention. In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as embodied in a head- L 730 lightwhich is indicated generally at 10. As

shown the headlight includes a shell comprising a front member 11 which is frustoconical in shape and which terminates in a front cylindrical portion 12. The rear end It 5 ofthe portion 11 has an outwardly directed flange 14 thereon Whichte'rminates in a collar 15. The rear portion of the shell includes a cylindrical portion 16 which fits within the collar 15. This cylindrical portion 16 has a 30 g curved back portion 17; The curved'portion Serial No. 554,632.

17 is provided an integral collar 18 in which a lamp socket 19 is secured. A suitable lamp 20 is arranged in the socket 19.

The cylindrical portion 16 is provided with apertures through which headed fastening members 21 are inserted. The head of these fastening members may be spot-welded to the cylindrical portion 16 and the shanks 22 thereof, which are threaded, project outwardly through slots 23 in the collar 15. The slots 23 include an angular portion 24 as shown in Fig. 4. The portion 11 of the shell is provided with an internal clamping ring 25 which has an internal flange 26 thereon. This flange 26 engages a binding strip 27 which is arranged on an annular lens 28, which will be presently described. The binding member 27 further engages an internal flange 29 on the cylindrical portion 16, previously described.

The lens member 28 as shown comprises a dished portion 30 having frustro-conical side walls 31 integral therewith. On the frustroconical side walls 31 I arrange an annular lens member 32, the purpose of which will be presently described.

The shell and other parts are preferably made as metal stampings while the glass members are preferably cast or molded to shape. V y

In assembling the parts ust described the lens member 28 is arranged with the binding strip 27 engaging the flange 26. The cylindrical portion 16 is then arranged within the collar 15 until the flange member 29 engages the binding strip 27. Nuts 33 are then arranged on the threaded shanks 22 and the parts are given relative rotation so that the shanks 22 move down the inclined por- 9O tions 24. The nuts 33 are then tightened and the two parts of the shell remain assembled.

Before the parts are assembled a shield 34 is arranged upon the exterior of the frustoconical portion 31 of the lens member 28. This shield is conical in shape and is preferably a metal stamping. Its outer surface is made non-reflecting in any desired manner.

The shield 34 is preferably held in place by a bolt 35, the shank of'which passes 1 00 through an aperture 36 in the disk portion 30. The bolt includes a head 37 and lock nuts 38.

Arranged within the cylindrical portion 12 I show a lens holder 39 in which a lens 410 is secured by a flanged threaded collar 40. This lens is shown as a double concave lens although the exact shape of the lens would depend upon the direction in which the rays were to be directed. The lens holder is provided with spaced threaded shanks 4:1 (preferably three in number) which fit in slots 42. In this manner the lens may be focused after which it may be held in the correct position by means of lock nuts 4:3.

The interior of the curved portion 17 is constructed to provide a reflecting surface while the disk member 30 and the frustoconical portion 31 also include reflecting surfaces. As a result the light rays from the lamp 20 passing from the surfaces of the members 17, 30 and 31 find their way through the annular lens 32 thence to the focusing lens 40. The inner surface of the portion 11 of the shell is preferably non-reflecting. As a result of my construction the light rays produced by my lamp will be without glare so that the maximum safety while driving a vehicle at night will be obtained by using my invention.

In Fig. 5 I have shown my invention as being embodied in a device 50 which includes a shell which comprises a front portion 51 I and a rear portion 51 which are connected by a joint 52, similar in all respects to the joint provided by the construction shown in Fig. 1. An annular lens member 53 similar to the lens member 32 is provided and is clamped against a flange 54 as has been previously described. The rear portion 51 of the shell includes a planer face 55 from which a curved face 56 extends. The faces 55 and 56 constitute reflecting surfaces which reflect light from a lamp 57 through the lens 53. The annular lens 53 has integral therewith a hollow member 58 which constitutesa reflecting surface. The upper portion of the member 58 1s a segment of a sphere having a radius R and having a center at 59 which is in advance of the center '60 of the source of the light of the lamp 57. The lower half of the shell is a segment of a sphere having a radius R and having a center 59 which is also in advance of the light source 60. As a result of this arrangement the light from the lamp 57 which strikes the member 58 is refiect ed to one side of the lamp and again reflected from the member 56 through the annular lens 53.

The lens holder 61 is similar in all respects to the lens holder described in Fig. 1 and is adjustable, being held in position by the locking members 61. The lens shown in Fig. 5 has a rear portion 62 thereof concave and the lower portion of the front as at 63 is also concave. The upper portion of the front of the lens as at 64 is plane and as a result the light from the lamp is deflected downwardly to some extent. A substantially semi-circular collar 65 engages the plane portion of the lens to hold it in position. The inner portion of the shell 50 is made non-reflecting as is the outer portion of a metal shield 66 which is conical in shape and which has tongues 67 thereon which pass through slots 68 to hold the shield in place. 'As a result of my construction a highly eflicient light is provided with entire absence of glare.

In Fig. 6 I show a further slight modification wherein the shield 66 is omitted, the inner surface of the shell and the outer surface 69 of the portion 58 of the lens being rendered non-reflecting to prevent glare. In other respects the device shown in Fig. 6 does not difier from that shown in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing descriptionit will be apparent that I have provided an improved headlight which is highly efiicient in use and which is without glare and which can beeconomically manufactured.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a headlight, a body having a lamp therein, a reflector mounted in the rear of said lamp, an annular lens member mounted in advance of said reflector, a focusing lens and a conical shield in said body projecting from the inner circumference of the annular lens and with its apex directed towards the focusing lens, said body having an outer frusto-conical member thereon connecting the outer circumference of the annular lens and the outer circumference of the focusing lens, said shield and said member defining a tapering passage exterior to said shield and leading from said annular lens to said focusing lens, the exterior surface of said shield being non-reflecting.

2. In a headlight, a body having a lamp therein, an annular lens member mounted in advance of said lamp, a focusing lens, a pair of conical concentric members defining a passage leading from said annular lens to said focusing lens, the inner surface of one of said members and the outer surfaceof the other member being non-reflecting, a reflect ing member in front of said lamp, a reflecting member in the rear of said lamp, said annular lens member converging the rays falling therein towards the focusing lens, said reflecting members being mounted to direct light from said lamp to said passage.

3. In headlight, a body having a lamp therein, an. annular lens member mounted in advance of said lens, a focusing lens, a conical shield in said body, said body having an outer frusto-conical member therein, said member and said shield defining a passage leading from said annular lens to said focusing lens, reflecting means to direct lightfrom saidlamp to said passage, the interior of said shield having a reflecting surface and exterior of said shield and the interior of said member having a non-reflecting surface and means to mount said focusing lens for movement towards and from said annular lens member.

4:. In a headlight, a body having a lamp therein, an annular lens member mounted in advance of said lamp, a focusing lens, a conical shield in said body, said body having an outer frusto-conical member thereon, said member and said shield defining a passage leading from said annular lens to said f0- cusing lens, a reflector including a portion curved towards said lamp and arranged in the rear of said lamp, a second reflector curved towards said lamp and arranged in advance of said lamp, said curved portion of said first reflector being adapted to direct light towards said annular lens member, said second reflector being adapted to direct light towards said first reflector, the exterior of said shield and the interior of said member having non-reflecting surfaces and means to mount said focusing lens for movement towards and from said annular lens member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiiX my signature.

WALTER E. CUMMINS. 

